The Glue
by baker's huntress
Summary: With Coulson too busy roaming the globe in search of new allies, it falls to May to keep the rest of the team together. *Spoilers for 2x01*


**The Glue**

_Summary:_ With Coulson too busy roaming the globe in search of new allies, it falls to May to keep the rest of the team together. *Spoilers for 2x01*

_Disclaimer: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D._ does not belong to me.

_A/N:_ These are basically random "missing scenes" in May's POV from the months between the Season 1 Finale to the Season 2 Premiere. In the episode, I loved her caring expression during that scene with Fitz, and I loved that she offered to help him with the DNA analysis. And with Skye, love that whole bit where she wanted them to stick together for the mission. It's obvious that the woman who only cared about Coulson now opened her heart to Skye and Fitz. And I wanted to explore that a little.

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><p>"Our first priority should be recruitment."<p>

She nodded.

"It would be best if we could meet these potential recruits face-to-face so we could get a read on them."

"I agree. The first person I want to find is Isabelle Hartley. Last I heard, she was deep undercover in Chicago. And that was just before everything went to hell. I'm hoping she's still there."

"When do we leave?"

"Not us. Just me. I need you here, May."

The serious look on his face, as opposed to his usual smile, said more than words ever could.

"On two conditions: Avoid field operations and check in with me every few days. My orders from Fury still stand. I'm watching your back. You may be in charge of everything now. But I'm in charge of you."

She stared him down, daring him to disagree.

He didn't.

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.

.

"Running away won't solve anything, Simmons."

"I'm not running away. But my being here isn't helping him."

"You being beside him is the only thing keeping him stable."

"Stable, yes. But he's not getting any better. And he won't get better as long as I'm still here."

She narrowed her eyes at the younger woman.

"What are you _really_ up to?"

Simmons' eyes widen slightly.

"N-nothing. I…I have to go. Coulson said I had to meet Trip in the hanger at 0900 hours."

She watched as Simmons started to walk away.

"Simmons!" She stopped but didn't look back. "Good luck. Whatever it is you're planning, I hope you succeed."

Simmons didn't even nod in acknowledgment before moving forward.

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"You're not bad."

She reached out a hand to help Skye get back to her feet.

"Thanks." Skye gave a little moan as she rubbed her sore shoulder. "I hate to say it, but Ward—fake Ward—was a good trainer. But you're better. I appreciate that you don't hold back."

She quirked at eyebrow.

"You really think I'm not holding back?"

.

.

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"I'm not…I'm not…what's the word?"

"Hungry?"

"Yea, that. I'm not hungry."

"But you still have to eat. And afterwards, you should take a shower and change your clothes."

Fitz blushed in embarrassment and turned away.

She sighed before gently taking his chin in her hand to turn his gaze back towards her.

"It's okay to need help, Fitz."

Though she hid it well, it greatly surprised her when tears welled up in his eyes. It startled her even more when he hugged her around her middle and buried his face in the crook of her neck.

It took a moment for her to get over her shock. But once she did, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he sobbed.

"What does it…what does it…. She's _gone_."

She didn't need to ask who he was referring to.

"But I'm still here, Fitz. So are Skye and Trip. Coulson, too, when he isn't flying off half-way across the globe to recruit people."

He pulled back a little so he could look at her.

"Could you do me a…do me a…."

"Favor?"

"Yea."

"What is it?"

"Kill me."

His words froze her in place.

"You've shot at me before. Hitting my head and…the head and…(he snapped his fingers)…_heart_! Hitting my head and heart would be a painless death. Just don't use the ICERs next time."

Anger grew within her—anger at him for making such a request and anger at herself for shooting at him in the first place. She forced herself not to glare since Fitz was already emotionally unstable and might take it the wrong way.

"No Fitz. Death is not the answer."

Tears started to fall again. And this time, it wasn't just him who was openly crying.

"It's just so…it's so—"

"Hard. I know Fitz."

"No, you don't!" He pulled away from her completely and slammed his hands on a nearby table. "I feel like my body is…it's…."

"What, Fitz? What is it doing?" she asked gently.

"It's _betraying_ me. I wish I've gotten…I've gotten…. I wish I don't remember anything. Or I wish I were dead." He turned around to face her. Seeing how broken he was physically pained her. "This is so much worse. I'm in hell, May. This is hell."

She walked up to him and wrapped him in her arms again.

"It will get better."

"Stop lying to me."

"I'm not." She pulled back. "I've been through my own personal hell before. And someone helped me out of it. Now I'm going to help you. It _will _get better. But until then, I'm placing you under suicide watch."

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"Do you ever regret staying?"

"No." She didn't have to think about her answer. Then she turned the question back to him. "Are you having second thoughts, Agent Triplett?"

"Nah. Not really, anyway." He took a swig of his bottle of beer. "But sometimes, I just miss home so much. Like today. It's grandma's birthday. It'll be the first birthday dinner I'll miss since I was born."

They were silent for a few seconds as they both drank their beer.

"I'd so kill for a slice of my mom's lemon cake right now."

She'd kill for a slice of her mom's pumpkin pie. But she did not say so out loud.

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"Are there decent guys out there?"

"You should know the answer to that since we personally know three."

Skye smiled.

"You're right. We do."

"Why did you ask?"

Skye's smile disappeared.

"It's nothing. I was just thinking about Ward again." Skye paused. "I hate him, May. I really do."

"You blame him for everything." It wasn't a question.

"I do. I blame him and his organization for all the shit we're going through. And I blame him specifically for Fitz and for destroying our family."

"Fitz will get better. And Simmons will come back."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I know that there is no way Simmons can stay away from Fitz forever. And once she's back, Fitz will start healing again."

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"I'm afraid, May."

She forced herself calm even as the fear on Fitz's face caused dread to weigh heavily on her stomach.

"What are you afraid of?"

"I see her. I know she's not here, but I see her. She…she…."

"She what, Fitz?"

"She…talks to me. I try to…um…I try to…."

"Ignore?"

"Yea. I try to ignore her. But she keeps coming back. And sometimes, I forget she's not real, and I talk back."

"Fitz, it's okay. Hallucinations are one of the possible side effects of the medication. The doctor told us about it when he gave it to you."

"Then I'll…I'll stop taking it."

"You can't. Not yet. Wait until the doctor comes back so we can ask for something else. You need that medication, Fitz. It's the reason why you're able to control your movements better."

"I'm going mad, May."

"You're not. It's a side effect."

"It's not that. I'm going mad because…because I like talking to her. It makes me feel clear when I talk to her. It makes me feel calm."

"Then talk to her, Fitz. It's okay."

.

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"He's gone mental, hasn't he?"

The words barely left Hunter's mouth when she had him on the floor; her knee digging into his lower back, one hand pushing his head into the floor, and the other holding a knife to his neck. In her peripheral vision, she saw Skye and Trip with their ICERS drawn and pointed at Idaho and Hartley.

"Speak badly about him again, and they will be the last words you say. Fitz is a hero, and he's a hundred times the man you will ever be."

"I-I'm sorry. Won't happen again. I didn't mean anything by it, I swear! You've known me for some time now. You know shite comes out of my mouth all the time."

"Yeah, I do. But Fitz is off limits. Do you understand?"

She only released him after she felt him nod.

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"Trying a new look?"

"I'm sorry?"

She pointed at Fitz's jaw.

"Oh, that. I just…I have trouble handling a…a…." He used a hand to gesture as if he was shaving.

"Razor?"

"Yes. I have trouble handling a razor. I don't want to accidentally cut myself."

He avoided her eyes.

"The scruff looks good on you, Fitz."

He turned back to her with a shy yet genuine smile.

.

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"He's away more than he's here. Does he at least still check in with you like he's supposed to?"

"No. He agreed to check in every few days. It's been a week."

"I miss AC. Director Coulson isn't as fun."

She didn't voice it out, but she wholeheartedly agreed.

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.

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"You're breaking into an army base?"

"Yes. We need to retrieve that 084 before Creel does."

"You'll be careful?"

"Of course. And don't worry about Skye and Trip. I'll take care of them."

He nodded.

"But take care of yourself, too. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you too, May."

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She stayed back to cover Skye and Trip as they ran for the quinjet.

When Skye turned to look back at her, their eyes met. And in that one glance, she tried to convey how sorry she was that she wasn't going with them. She hoped Skye understood that she wanted to put the soldiers' attention on her and give her and Trip a chance to escape unscathed. There was no way she'd let another one of her teammates—her family—get hurt.

Not on her watch.

Only when they were safely inside the quinjet did she mount the motorcycle and ride off.

Even if she didn't escape the soldiers, she felt at peace knowing that Skye and Trip were safe.


End file.
